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Text At first, Applejack had been glad when she had found out Sleipnir had left, but that had turned to apprehension when she realized Big Mac was gone too. She and Rainbow Dash stayed up late waiting for the two, wanting to discuss plans for tomorrow, but eventually went to bed around three in the morning. Applejack woke up early as always, tired and cranky, but since long days and sleepless nights were becoming routine for her it felt little different from a normal day. She didn't bother waking up Rainbow Dash before heading downstairs to put on breakfast... and halting in the living room, her jaw dropping at the sight of Sleipnir laying on the folded-out couch, a few bottles of whiskey and empty glass beer-steins laying here and there over the floor, the male's armor laying in a discarded pile nearby and Big Mac clutched against his chest like a stuffed toy. The red stallion was deep asleep as well, hugging a blanket against his chest, snoring loudly, one of his ears in Sleipnir's mouth and twitching every now. Sleipnir mumbled around this as he shifted a bit, and then Applejack closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down despite the mess before calmly making her way to the kitchen. Five minutes later, she came back with a bucket of cold water, glaring at the two before hefting it high and splashing it forwards over them with a shout of: "Wake up, you damn idjits!" The two woke up in a flurry of yells, flailing wildly in the bed, now-sopping wet and shivering... and then Big Mac slowly stared over his shoulder, and Sleipnir peered back at him for a few moments before he grinned widely and winked. The red earth pony winced and hurriedly shoved himself away, half-falling off the bed with a dazed groan, and Sleipnir laughed before he sat up, briskly shook himself out, and then winked over at Applejack and patted the bed beside him. "'Tis just like old times! Say, though, 'tis still fairly dry and feels early yet... crawl into bed with me and we'll see if thou makes a better teddy bear than thy brother!" Applejack responded by slamming the bucket over Sleipnir's head, unable to even think of a response as she hissed through her teeth, and her frustration only mounted higher when Sleipnir laughed beneath the plastic bucket. Instead, the mare turned her fury on Big Mac as he slowly began to crawl to his hooves, wheezing a little before wincing when Applejack seized his shoulder and snapped: "What the hell is this? Dammit, Big Mac, I ain't ever seen you be so irresponsible in your life! You smell like a brewery, now get the hell into the shower before Apple Bloom sees you like this... I never imagined my big brother would-" "Oh, be not such a harpy." Sleipnir said cheerfully, pushing the bucket back as Big Mac flushed deep red, stumbling hurriedly out of the room, and Applejack snarled over at Sleipnir, but he only grinned widely and winked at her. "'Twas not so bad! He holds his liquor well and held most delightful conversation, and we ended the night responsibly, did we not? Getting the rest of the way drunk safe at home instead of rowdy at the bar, talking about things stallions should never admit to talking about, and then, well, he told me about this marvelous contraption of a hidden bed, and he fell asleep here because the stairs were much too mountainous with us both so terribly drunk. Worry not, pretty mare, I did not take advantage of him. Apple flank or not." Applejack gave him a horrible look, and then she stormed towards the kitchen before Sleipnir called cheerfully, the bucket still on his head: "Does thou get the joke I just made? 'Twas witty, was it not?" Breakfast was awkward: Applejack pointedly cooked only for herself, Rainbow Dash, and Apple Bloom, and Big Mac sat at the table with his head lowered in embarrassment, drinking black coffee and with a large bottle of aspirin beside him. Then Sleipnir barged in, not wearing his armor, and both Rainbow Dash and Apple Bloom stared at the tattooing across his chest, giving big grins... before both hurriedly turned their gazes back to their breakfast when Applejack gave them dark looks. Then the mare glared at Sleipnir when he began to root through the cupboards and the fridge without bothering to ask, Rainbow giving his own grimace at this... but before anypony could say anything, they were all stunned as Sleipnir said absently over his shoulder: "I took the liberty to tell the soldiers I ran into last night there would be a strategy session this morning, at that briefing center we were in yesterday. 'Tis good that thou woke me up, we should not dally much longer before getting ready to go." "You can't do that! You're... briefing session for what?" Applejack asked incredulously, and then she glared as Sleipnir turned around with a smile and a wink, taking a large bite out of an apple in his hoof. "I have had just about enough of you, you know that?" "I often hear this from many mares." Sleipnir remarked mildly, and Applejack closed her eyes and forced herself to take a breath before she stared as he added quietly: "Thy forces are not prepared for what we face, both in terms of soldier and commander. I shall therefore teach them what I know about the enemy... including my sister and my brother." Applejack only stared as Rainbow Dash and Big Mac both looked up, Apple Bloom frowning worriedly... but Sleipnir only smiled, winking at the filly before he said easily: "I am going to polish my armor. Please be ready to leave within the hour, I wish not to be late for my own first strategy session. 'Twould look bad." With that, Sleipnir turned and left, and the ponies traded confused looks before Rainbow quickly shoveled the rest of his food into his mouth before hurrying away from the table to get ready as Big Mac grimaced, drinking down his coffee in a few large gulps and popping several aspirin back into his jaws before heading quickly off himself. Apple Bloom left for school not long after, pausing on the front deck as she saw Sleipnir sitting on the steps, slowly cleaning his breastplate with a rag... and the male smiled at her kindly as they looked at one-another before he reached out and nudged her shoulder with a hoof. "Worry not, friend Apple Bloom. I am only doing my duty... I do not aim to see Luna or even her allies killed, what I shall tell them will be instead with the goal to keep our own soldiers alive." The filly nodded slowly at this, then she blushed and looked up as several foals began to pass by on the road with an escort of two adults. "Okay. I trust you, Mr. Sleipnir." "Just Sleipnir. Run along, child." Sleipnir smiled at her, and the filly nodded with a smile back before hurrying out to the path, leaving the stallion to polish his armor in quiet even as he gazed thoughtfully up at the sky, then sighed a little and murmured: "Oh, innocent youth. To be that pure-hearted again..." Eventually, the male began to strap on his gear: chainmail first, then the heavier breastplate. He stroked slowly over the emblem of Yggdrasil engraved over the breast of this, then glanced over his shoulder as Applejack emerged from the house, clad in her orange vest and cowboy hat, mane and tail tightly braided back. For a moment, they only surveyed each other, and then she nodded slowly to him, and the stallion smiled slightly in response. The others joined them only a few moments later: Rainbow Dash in his lightweight scale mail, and Big Mac in heavier plate mail that covered him from hoof to head, a helm locked securely around his skull. Sleipnir nodded with a grunt, then stood up and strode down the steps, saying calmly over his shoulder: "I desire to know more about the Knights of New Equestria. Numbers, units, specializations, supplies... every bit of information is important, every last detail helps." Applejack was surprised at how businesslike the stallion had become, but she nodded slowly, answering as much as she could as they headed into Ponyville. Sleipnir listened intently, asking questions but otherwise refraining from making any comments until they reached the former library and the mare said finally: "But all our records and stuff are kept here, if you wanna double-check anything..." "I do not trust written records. They are static, while the unit always changes, and I require sharp accuracy: moreover, they are a vulnerability that the enemy could easily acquire and use to learn much about us." Sleipnir replied with a shake of his head, and then he grimaced a bit as he shoved the door open, muttering: "But come then. To betray my sister." Applejack winced a little at this as the enormous stallion strode calmly through the main room of the intelligence center: the table had been pushed aside, and many soldiers had already gathered, different ranks mingling together as Nibelung Architects stood awkwardly near the back of the room while dwarf soldiers sat amongst pony, their past as enemies long forgotten. This was the one thing that seemed to make Sleipnir smile a little as he gazed over the several dozen crammed into the room, waiting a few last long minutes before nodding once and calling in a voice that easily silenced the half-apprehensive murmurs: "Calm now, friends!" All eyes looked up to him, and Sleipnir smiled a little wider as he said kindly: "The turnout is neither as large as hoped nor as small as expected, and I suppose this is good. There are more than enough of thee to spread the word, though, and I see many of higher rank, who I am sure will pass what I have to say onto their own soldiers and allies. "I am Sleipnir the Mighty, brother to Luna and Celestia. Believe what thou will about me and my sanity but that is the truth, and I have the strength to prove it should there be any doubts." Sleipnir continued calmly, looking over the group as murmurs passed through the crowd again. "I have been sent here to aid thee, and to put a halt to what wrongs my sister has wrought." "You mean you're going to fight her, kill her?" asked a voice from the crowd, and Sleipnir grimaced as he held up a hoof even as murmurs of both worry and hope passed through the group. "In time I shall get to this. But first of all, I am here to pass on to thee information on thine enemies. None know Luna's tactics better than I... and even if she has evolved and changed, I am sure many of the core truths will remain the same." Sleipnir replied, then he slammed a hoof against the floor, completely silencing the room before he stated calmly: "Firstly, even if thou and thine have the advantage of numbers, superior weapons, and armor... do not engage Luna in close combat. No matter how fast, brave, or bold thou art, no matter what thy training is or thy strength, do not engage Luna in the melee, whether she brings horn or spear against thee. Close combat is where she dominates." "Couldn't you fight her? And what about when we get soldiers, like the special units that New Equestria is supposed to sending us?" asked a voice, and there were rumbles of agreement, but Sleipnir only smiled wryly. "Aye, I can fight her, but I lost to her when last we fought." Sleipnir reached up, rubbing slowly at his throat. "I have trained hard but now she will be even stronger and more dangerous. Nay, victory against her will not come from blind attack. And no matter how elite, how many, how strong thy soldiers are, compared to the experiences Luna and I have faced, compared even to the soldiers of the past, they are still greenhorns who may display talent but have not likely had the experiences necessary to temper their strength and skills." He halted, then shook his head slowly, continuing quietly: "Luna is most at home on the ground. She dislikes aerial combat: this is not to say she is at any serious disadvantage in the air, only that she will avoid aerial battle whenever possible. Much the same applies to magic and long range, but this is one of the few points of advantage we may be able to take against my little sister. Luna prefers medium range magic and is less accurate over long distances: furthermore, consecutive spells will leave her drained and more vulnerable." The stallion stopped, then held up a hoof with a look of distaste when several ponies leaned forwards is if to say something. "Let me speak! I shall answer thy questions afterwards but for now only listen, there is much to go over. Luna was very powerful even before she tied herself with Scrivener, even before she became... what she is now. Many are foolish enough to believe that because she is darkness, she stands in Celestia's shadow... but she is my big sister's equal, and in a few ways possibly her better. In order to defeat Luna we will require strategy that plays off her weaknesses... but we must also bear in mind her greatest asset: Scrivener Blooms. "I have heard him referred to as 'pet,' 'monster,' and other things... but this is only adding to an illusion that I am sure Luna is glad to fuel." Sleipnir said quietly, looking back and forth slowly. "The illusion that Scrivener, as a Tyrant Wyrm, is like an animal, is only a weapon. But he is not. He is intelligent, perhaps as cunning as Luna, and his mind is sharp." Sleipnir paused, and then he leaned forwards and said empathetically: "And I have great respect for him. Great respect. When my sister felt the pain of heartache, he stepped in to protect her, fighting for her even knowing that it would be a losing battle, and honoring the terms of our duel. And I can think of few things more dangerous than a Tyrant Wyrm with a mind... except now, he is a Tyrant Wyrm, in possession of Luna's soul and experiences, with Celestia's horn further empowering him." There was silence for a few moments, before Sleipnir leaned forwards and said quietly: "Under no circumstances is he to be engaged. The only advantage we have is that even now he is not a warrior first. He is brash and depends heavily upon Luna, and in his smaller state is strong, but far more vulnerable to physical attack. Over the coming weeks I will share with thee defenses we used in the past to delay or wound Tyrant Wyrms and all information I know of the terrible breed. "I think this goes without saying, but the greatest difficulty lays within the fact that Luna and Scrivener are almost never apart. To engage them separately will be difficult: when I fought them together for the first time, from the first moment I embattled them I knew my chances were next to none. Even adjusting to their initial transformation, they moved together and channeled one-another's abilities with ease. We must develop ways to interrupt their mental link and plans to separate them from one-another if there is to be victory against them." Murmurs ran through the crowd, and then Sleipnir sighed and shook his head slowly before he said finally: "But on the other forces we face..." Sleipnir went over everything he knew about Nightmares, demons, constructs, and everything else, providing much more information on these creatures and their weaknesses and strengths. When the subject of Celestia was brought up, he skirted around it haphazardly, saying that without her horn Celestia would be weaker... but it was obvious that wasn't what worried him from how uncomfortable he seemed. The ponies insisted on talking more about Luna and Scrivener, some complaining, some challenging, some simply scared... but Sleipnir only shrugged them off and replied that he'd explain the vulnerabilities and weaknesses he knew of in the two later. It discouraged the soldiers, and others looked worried as he forcefully dismissed them, leaving him alone with Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Big Mac before the mare said quietly: "You scared 'em pretty bad. But that was your goal, wasn't it?" "Aye, it was." Sleipnir grumbled, stomping a hoof against the floor and shaking his head distastefully. "It will do good to make them afraid instead of purely hateful. 'Twill save lives on both sides, and 'twill stop them from going out into the wilderness and killing every so-called enemy they see. Arrows are better saved for piercing the eyes of cyclops' than the hearts of mischief spirits." Applejack grimaced at this, and Rainbow frowned as he looked up, saying slowly: "But all that stuff about Scrivener and Luna..." "It is true. And it is far better they run from my sister and brother than they attempt to fight them." Sleipnir looked towards Rainbow Dash calmly, quirking his eyebrow. "Unless thou wants to upset the Tyrant Wyrm and the Valkyrie, is that it? Does thou want these ponies to charge into a meaningless battle, be slaughtered, and then have their corpses sent back to us... or, say they do battle, and a lucky blow strikes and wounds one of them. Both of them, I should say, from how they are bound together. Tell me, what would a pride-injured Luna and Scrivener do, who now might consider this village filled with children pretending to be warriors less a nuisance and more of a... an insult to their dignity?" "Point taken. What the hell, though, did you get a delayed hangover or something?" Rainbow asked flatly, and Sleipnir grunted at this before he smiled a little, and the Pegasus looked relieved as he brushed his short, rainbow mane back. "Oh good. For a second there I was worried you were going to hit me and I just remembered how you threw Big Mac at me like a baseball last night." "Yes, last night was fun." Sleipnir said thoughtfully, and then he shook his head and grumbled: "There is an awful air of sadness and betrayal in this intelligence building, I do not like it. I think I shall go and find Apple Bloom." "My little sister's in school right now... you know, school? Learning beside the other foals?" Applejack said flatly, and Sleipnir gave her a moody look over his shoulder, making her wince a bit before she pointed at the map and said awkwardly: "Look, Sleipnir... I'm sorry I doubted you before. We could really use your help here, planning out strategies against Luna and... getting ready for this mess with Enstasis. It's... she's like a blot on Equestria, and we got the advantage of a nation against her, but she's right next to Ponyville and-" "Oh, really?" Sleipnir snorted in amusement, cocking his head, and Applejack frowned a little bit before the titanic earth pony slowly turned around and gazed back and forth between the three ponies. "Tell me, has my sister sent out envoys yet?" The ponies frowned, and Sleipnir nodded with a rueful grin. "Exactly. Firstly, thou forgets she has an army of dark servants at her disposal, positioned all throughout Equestria... but whom can make jumps of great distance as they please, with greater ease than most ponies ever could. Secondly, thou art counting thy cockatrices long before they are hatched: oh, yes, the Barons say she is bad, and as always many will follow along with what these new, self-appointed leaders of the nation will say, but there will be others who doubt. And more still, if Celestia begins to openly support Luna. I do not believe my big sister was corrupted, after all, as I have heard said. In fact, this is insulting. Celestia has grown wise, that is all, and sometimes the wise sound a little funny to those who do not see quite so clearly." The goldenrod mare frowned a bit, but Sleipnir only held up a hoof, shaking his head slowly. "My sisters' motivations are less important than what she does now, though. If she vanishes, some ponies will think that even Celestia feared Luna so greatly that their shining beacon ran away, and they will be terrified into siding with her. If Celestia speaks openly for my sister and against Equestria, others will side with her out of loyalty and confusion as well as fear. And when Luna begins recruiting, begins sending out messages across Equestria, others will join with her, because she will promise them power and prosperity... and she will even give it to them. What do we promise, Applejack? Freedom beneath a council that has made no move to save their own Queen when she gave herself up to save Ponyville? That does not sound like freedom to me. That sounds like abandonment." There was silence between them... and then Sleipnir smiled, bowing his head courteously. "I feel better, getting this off my chest. My thanks for listening. I shall help out with the strategy, though, worry not, but I sincerely hope that we do not come to full-out war. Even if we win, we will all lose very, very much. Now, if thou shall excuse me, I must go see Apple Bloom. She is a wonderful little ray of sunshine in these dark times... and oh, speaking of which, Applejack, when I am able to arrange a visit to Enstasis, I plan to bring her with me. Thou can argue with me later about it but for now I would stay silent and think of what I have already lectured thee on, else-wise I may have to jam something more painful than a pinecone into thy loins." Applejack grimaced and glared, but remained quiet all the same, watching with the others as Sleipnir turned and made his way calmly out, leaving them in quiet: a solemnity shared for only a few moments by the gargantuan earth pony before he shook his head hurriedly and then looked up with a smile, his armor glinting as he said quietly: "Away, bad thoughts. Nay, I shall think on the positives instead now, and be happy." He smiled, stepping forwards... and then Applejack cleared her throat loudly behind him, and the male sighed in exasperation, dropping his head forwards as his ivy mane spilled around his head before he glowered over his shoulder at her. "Did I not just say-" "Apple Bloom ain't going to Enstasis." Applejack said firmly, and Sleipnir slowly pursed his lips before the goldenrod mare gritted her teeth and lowered her head forwards, looking almost pained before she finally muttered: "But if... if say, Scarlet Sage were to come here with... Twilight Sparkle, or Celestia, or... or somepony like that... Apple Bloom could see her in the town square or some other public, well-guarded place." Sleipnir leaned back in surprise... and then he smiled warmly and simply stomped a hoof in agreement before turning and heading down the street, calling cheerfully back: "Then I shall go and inform her of this immediately! And then come back and give her a hug for thee if she requests it, and perhaps more if my mood continues to brighten!" "I hate you." Applejack slammed the door loudly, and Sleipnir laughed and shook his head as he continued easily through the streets, smiling warmly to the ponies and Nibelung he passed. He wasn't familiar with the layout of the town, but his sharp eyes were able to pick out many smaller hoof-prints in the dirt of the road here and there leading in the same direction thanks to his long-honed tracking skills... and more than that, it was as if the earth itself was whispering to him where to go, the male looking benevolent as his mood rapidly rose. He found the schoolhouse without trouble, striding calmly past a soldier on duty outside that stared at him stupidly, obviously not knowing what to do before the enormous earth pony slammed a hoof into the door and kicked it open, startling the class of foals sitting at their desks and making the earth pony teacher almost fall out of her seat as she looked dumbly up at him. Sleipnir's eyes locked on her, and he grinned widely at the lavender mare, striding easily into the room and leaning on the desk as his eyes roved from her two-tone pink mane to her light-green eyes. "Well, thou art the youngest, prettiest teacher I have ever laid mine eyes upon! What fortune favors these students to have such a vision as their tutor; tell me, what is thy name?" "It's... Cheerilee. I... and who are you, exactly?" the mare asked finally, and Sleipnir let his eyes rove down along her frame to the cutie mark on her flank, of three smiling daffodils. It made the mare blush a bit, clearing her throat before adding hurriedly: "Sir, we... were right in the middle of a class..." "That's him!" whispered Apple Bloom loudly to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, and both the foals started as they stared at Sleipnir, some of the other children looking curiously back and forth in their seats as a few giggled and others only looked as shocked as their teacher was. "I am Sleipnir the Mighty!" the male declared, throwing his head back, and then he paused before reaching down and looking delighted as he picked up a book of Equestrian history. "Is this what thou wert teaching?" "I... yes, but you should really-" Cheerilee started awkwardly, and then Sleipnir threw his head back and laughed before he turned towards the class, stomping a hoof firmly as the guard from outside looked in. Cheerilee waved at him madly behind Sleipnir's back, but the soldier only shook his head violently and gestured wildly towards at Sleipnir before turning and hurrying away, making the mare groan and slap her forehead. Sleipnir, however, was peering happily over the class before he rose a hoof, saying cheerfully: "Apple Bloom! There thou art! Give me a moment, I have good news for thee, but first I shall teach thy class about the old days of Equestria I lived in. For thou sees, in the days of old, more than a thousand years ago, I journeyed with my sisters, Celestia and Luna, far and wide across the land..." The foals let out various sounds of amazement and shock at this, even Cheerilee looking up with surprise as the earth pony talked, easily recounting an old story he was obviously fond of, dancing around at the front of the class and looking cheerful. It was enough that when the guard finally showed back up with several other soldiers, Cheerilee only shooed them away, now leaning over her desk and listening with as much fascination as the children she taught. Finally, when Sleipnir was done, he clapped his hooves and said cheerfully: "And that is all! I now leave thee in the capable hooves of thy teacher. Apple Bloom, come, I wish to speak with thee anon." "Uh... recess?" Cheerilee said quickly, raising her hoof, and the foals cheered before swarming for the back door as Apple Bloom smiled and blushed, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle shyly accompanying her as they walked towards Sleipnir. He smiled down at her, then tipped a wink to Cheerilee as she looked at him kindly, saying finally: "Sir, that was quite a story... Apple Bloom, tell me, is this stallion part of your family? He was very convincing." "What? Nay, 'tis truly I, Sleipnir the Mighty, and the fact that thou does not believe me wounds me so!" Sleipnir posed for a moment with a hoof over his chest, and then he winked and leaned towards her, making the mare blush and rear back a bit. "Thou shall have to make it up to me tonight." Cheerilee cleared her throat and awkwardly turned, mumbling about checking on the foals as she hurried for the back door, and Scootaloo laughed as Apple Bloom smiled and shook her head, looking up at the male and saying kindly: "You don't ever learn, do you?" "No mare is immune to my charms, Apple Bloom, as thou shalt soon learn. See, I asked only to speak to thee and I have three pretty fillies instead of one right before me!" Sleipnir remarked with a wink, and Sweetie Belle smiled a little wider as Scootaloo mumbled a bit before the earth pony leaned down and said gently: "Thy sister has agreed to let thee see Scarlet Sage if she comes to Ponyville." Apple Bloom's jaw dropped and her eyes lit up, and Sleipnir winked at her as both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked incredulously up at him. "See? I told thee to trust in me, and that thy sister would not be so harsh: I feel she has a good heart beneath the needles. We must merely pry those pinecones out of her, 'twill make her much more amiable." "Thank you!" exclaimed Apple Bloom, leaping forwards and hugging the male fiercely, and Sleipnir smiled warmly as he hugged her tightly back, then he laughed and leaned forwards, sweeping the other fillies up into his embrace and lifting them all into the air, and Sweetie Belle giggled as Scootaloo wheezed but smiled all the same despite the blush that rose in her cheeks. "Oh thank you thank you thank you!" "'Tis no problem. Now run along and play, all of thee. I shall see thee again soon, fear not." Sleipnir replied kindly, gently setting the fillies down and smiling affectionately as they nodded, Apple Bloom lingering a moment longer with a bright ,warm smile on her face before she turned to hurry off as well after her friends. The equine clapped his hooves together... and then he tilted his head curiously as Cheerilee embarrassedly entered the room, hurrying over to him and clearing her throat as she held up a strip of paper, and Sleipnir took this with a grin as the mare looked up at him with a blush and said embarrassedly: "I... I'll be home all night." "Aye, but thou won't be alone." Sleipnir winked at her, and Cheerilee blushed and nodded before turning and hurrying back out of the classroom, leaving the earth pony sitting alone by the front door before he flexed his forelimbs and beat lightly against his chest with a laugh. Then he slipped the strip of paper beneath the neck of his breastplate before whistling to himself as he turned and strode back out into the streets of the village. He knew things were going to get worse, he was going to be pitted against his own family in combat, he was helping ponies that didn't seem to even understand what they were fighting for... and yet he couldn't help but smile, because in spite of it all, there was still good to be had. There was the joy of helping a little filly reunite with her love, the pleasure of new friendships, and always, always hope for the future... not to mention pretty mares to flirt with and a shining sun overhead, and Sleipnir threw his head back and laughed. He could be sad any time he wanted... but all-in-all, the stallion found it was much better to just be happy instead. Top ↑ Category:Transcript Category:Story